Safety gas-cock



(No Model/f E. A. HANBY.

SAFETY GAS 000K.

No. 597,181. Patented Jan. 11, v1898.

co. Puoruumu., wAeHmnT UNITED STATES PATENT ErreE.

EUGENE A. I-IANEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAFETY GAS-COCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,181, dated January 11, 1898.

Applicationy filed April 16J 1897. Serial No. 632,469. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE A. HANEY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Safety Gas-Cocks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to safety gas-cocks, and has for its object the provision of a cock which will automatically lock itself when turned to closed position and edectually prevent accidental escape of gas after the flame has been thus extinguished, my improved cock presenting a construction which cannot be readily tampered with, is sure inoperation, and at the same time easy to manipulate.

The various features of my invention will be fully illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings and specification, and set forth in the claims. i

Figure l shows in side elevation a gas-fixture having a cock embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of amodied form of construction. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation, partly in section, on the line :n :c of the construction shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a plan View of the casing and exposed portion of the operating parts, looking from bottom to top of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the closure-plate shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of another modification, Fig. 7 being a plan view thereof,looking from bottom to top.

In the preferred form of construction selected to illustrate my invention and shown in Figs. 1 and e, A is a gas-fixture, of usual form and material, having a valve-seat a for the reception of a valve-plug B, of form suitable to enable the flow of gas to be regulated. Secured to this plug, and preferably formed integral therewith, is an extension b, of any suitable contour, carrying on a pivot h a swinging lever or thumb-piece O, by which the extension and plug may be turned when the lever is in one position and which is adapted to be locked in another position to prevent turning of the plug.

To prevent tampering with the stopcock, lhave illustrated a casingD, which also serves as one form of support for means to lock the operating -lever in desired position and is shown asa closed cylinder attached to the fixture A, in this instance its top d being apertured at CZ to receive and engage a threaded shoulder d on the fixture A,padjacent and surrounding the bottom of the valve-seat o. To prevent accidental displacement of this cylinder, I have shown additional attaching means intermediate the cylinder and casing, consisting in this instance of lugs d2, projecting downwardly from the fixture, the casing being secured to these lugs by screws d2, extending through the top d. The casing D, attached thus or in any suitable way to the fiXture,is provided with means by which the lever O is to be locked, the means illustrated consisting of an apertured plate or closure E for the lower end of the casing and fixed to the latter in any suitable manner-,asby pins d3.

The aperture e in the closure E is of suitable size to permit the passage therethrough of the swinging lever O and is enlarged oentrally, in the preferred construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, to allow the lever O to be turned about its longitudinal axis when in substantially vertical or dotted-line position, Fig. 1. The lever C is, however,y subject to the action of suitable means, as a spring F, tending constantly to throw it out of its operative position, and when the plug B is in position (see Fig. l) to prevent flow of gas, the lever C is, under the action of the spring F or such other suitable means as may be used, thrown into a notch e", extending outwardly from the central aperture e, and is there rmly held from turning.

Tohold the spring F up to its work, the spring is mounted on a rod f, extending through and carried by the lever O, the spring bearing at its ends, respectively, against the lever and an enlargement or head j" of the rod, which in turn rests against the inner wall of the casing. The other end also of the rod f may be provided with a head f2, if desired, and the lever C is provided, preferably, vvith a plate Il to close the aperture e and prevent the entrance of dust or the insertion of tools or the like.

When the lever O has entered the notch e', the plug B cannot be again turned until the IOO ' turned o and then on again bya continuous movem ent in the same direction, I have shown shoulders e2, extending into the central aperture e. By these shoulders or their equivalent, carried by the casing, I am enabled to dispense with the arrangement with which gas-fixtures are at present provided, consisting of a shoulder on the under surface of the fixture proper adapted to engage a pin earried by the plug. Where myimproved safetycock is attached to existing fixtures, this arrangement may, if desired, be retained either alone or as anauxiliary stop, and I have in Fig. 2 so illustrated it, A indicating an ordinary fixture having the usual shoulder d3 on the lower portion of the valve-seat to e11- gage a pin b4 on the plug b3. In this figure the apertured top d4 of the casing D is shown as not threaded, but as iitting snugly around the upper exposed portion of the plug b3 and against the shoulder o3, where it is held by suitable means, as screws d5, entering the blocks a4, secured tothe ixture A by soldering or otherwise. lNithin the casing D", which is similar in construction and'functioll to ythe casing D, already described, is contained the extension b5 of the plug b3, also illustrated as similar vto the plug extension Z9 described, and to the extension b5 within the casing are connected, preferably by a pivot b, two swinging levers c', similar to each other and to the lever C described, and under the iniuence of suitable means tending constantly to separate them and illustrated as a spring F, interposed between the levers and held in position by the rodA f3, which is carried by the levers in suitable apertures. The looking means for these levers is shown as in the form of a closure-plate E', similar to the plate E, but having a plurality of notches c3, one for each of the levers C. p The shoulders e4 may be dispensed with, if desired, and the pin-and-shoulder stop a3 b4 relied upon, or vice versa.

By having a plurality of levers C', I relieve the fixture ofthe strain usually attending the use ofa single lever and opposing spring, and this form of construction is particularly applicable to chandeliers,where such a strain is most undesirable.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the operating-lever C and the locking-plate EX as constructed and arranged to permit the lever to be locked by the action of gravity, an auxiliary spring FX, seated in a recess c of the lever, being used or not, as desired.

Normally the lever O depends vertically within the notch e5, which in this form of construction is located directly under the pivot t8 at the center of the closure-plate EX, a sector of which, amounting to about a quadrant, is out away, as Vindicated at e6, to allow the lever C to be swung out and around to turn on the gas.

Y In Fig. 6 I have shown the operating-lever as pivoted to a Winged thumb-plate hX of the pattern ordinarily found on gas-xtures eX- Yisting at the present day, no extensive alteration thereof being necessary to prepare the same for attachment, as will be readily unn derstood.

Preferably all the various parts of my improved safety-cock are formed of metal, but any suitable material may be used; ynor kdo I restrict myself to the exact construction illustrated, since, so' far as I am aware, I am the first to provide a safety-cock in which the plug-operatin g lever is itself movable for locking purposes.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination with a gas-cock and its swinging operating-lever, of a locking-plate having a locking-notch to receive said lever, and means to support said plate in the path of the latter, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a gas fixture or conduit and a gas-cock therein, of a swinging operating-lever for and depending below said cock in continuation thereof, and adapted to swing into position to lock said cock, Yand means supported from and beneath said conduit, in t-he path of said lever, and adapted to cooperate with the latter to lock said cock at times, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a gas-cock, of a plurality of swinging levers connected thereto and normally held in separated position to lock the cook, said levers being adapted to be drawn together and when so drawn to serve as actuating means to be manually operated to turn the cock, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a gas-cock having a swinging inferiorly-depending operatinglever, of means cooperating with said lever to lock the cock, said means being supported 'beneath said cock, substantially as described.

5. The combination with Aa gas-cock having a swinging operating-lever, of means coperating with said lever to lock the cock, a support for vsaid locking means, and a casing thereforrsubstantially as described.

6. The combination with'a gas-cock having a swinging operating-lever, of means coperating with said lever to lock the cock, and a casing surrounding the joint between said cock and lever and serving as a support for said locking means, substantially as described.

7 The combination with a gas-cock and its operating-lever, of a casing partially inclos- IOO IIC

ing said cock and lever at the region of their union, and a closure for said casing, said closure being apertured to permit the projection of the lever therethrough, and a recess opening from said aperture to receive and hold the lever in locked position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENE A. HANEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, ALEX. C. IRGUDFIT. 

